A. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic data-gathering, and more particularly, to allowing a user to capture, store and classify selected portions of electronic data.
B. Background of the Invention
Researching a topic using digital sources has become a time intensive process due to the vast quantity of data available. In addition, a researcher needs to track and attribute all such data used to its original source. Digital information may be collected from such varied sources as text and image files, network sources, and the Internet. The current process of collecting such data involves a complex series of interactions with the source data itself, in addition to computer-based or manual filing systems, word processors, and other authoring tools and applications that make the process non-linear and difficult to manage.
Researchers using electronic media as sources for information and documentation can archive research data using file systems or indexing software solutions. The traditional method for storing a copy of information found during research is to save the entire document into such a file system for later retrieval, or alternatively to save a relevant section of a document in a word processing or authoring type of computer application. These types of traditional computer applications for research storage include an underlying model describing the nature of the persistent data used and the functions that are available to operate on that data. The computer system will implement one or more views, typified in the modern GUI interface, allowing the user to interact with the model.
For example, a user might want to save a selected portion of information from a web page viewed using a web browser. The user could save the complete web page; however, this would not only save the relevant information but would store the entire web page. Storing the entire web page would distract future users from focusing upon the relevant information within the web page. Such storing of extraneous information is undesirable in a research environment.
The user could alternatively copy the relevant section of information from the web browser view. Next, the user would open up another application view, such as a word processing application, and paste the document segment into the application. The user would then have to save the new document as a new file. The user would also have to manually input creation and attribution information about the document into either the document itself or the file name of the document, so that the user could properly identify and attribute the information later. As used herein, creation information refers to information about the actions relating to saving the original data, such as the identity of the system user, the date and time of storage, and the source document from which the data was taken. Attribution information refers to bibliographic information such as the original author, date of publication, etc.
Currently, multiple pieces of stored electronic data are most often viewed using the application with which they were stored. A user might store entire web pages, portions of text, spreadsheet information, and graphics. Each of these types of documents could potentially be stored in a different application format. When each piece of data is later retrieved, it is necessary to open multiple different applications for data viewing, adding complexity to the process.
Traditional approaches to electronic data-gathering interrupt the workflow of a research project. For example, to save a current view, a researcher must stop interacting with the current view of the program he is using to perform his research; interact with a view of the file system browser, indexing application, or word processing application required to view stored research information; and then return to the view he was accessing before. The preferred process would be to organize such research efforts into a stream where all relevant research materials are collected from source documents at the beginning of the project. These collected materials would be processed to automatically retain creation and attribution information about the materials, and then stored for future review. Furthermore, the data stored in this phase would be visible to other researchers working on the same, or even non-related projects. Finally, the data could be withdrawn as needed, along with all proper creation and attribution information, during the compilation of the final output document.
No conventional system allows for the automatic capture, storage, and classification of less than an entire source document, including the acquisition and storage of creation and attribution metadata, packaged into a single, routable self-attributing format. Thus, there is a need for a system that will allow a researcher to acquire and use important pieces of data gleaned from electronic files of various types without stopping his or her work to interact with an additional application user-interface. Such a system would provide a conduit for inserting research data into a system model directly while negating or delaying the need to interact with a view of the system.
Various user interfaces have been used to aid in the capture and viewing of saved data. Conventional user interfaces lack flexibility and the ability to remain available, yet out of the user's way. What is needed is a user interface that can remain unobtrusive until needed, but that allows the user to view a large amount of data if the user so desires.